


Psyche

by Alt-format (Crisis_aversion)



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, dark themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:53:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25788376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crisis_aversion/pseuds/Alt-format
Summary: After the Decepticons capture and experiment on Colonel Lennox, the Autobots must figure out how and why before they can cure him. Meanwhile, a mysterious new Decepticon has appeared, but is he a threat - or an ally?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written back in April 2019; it has been revised slightly but is largely the same as it was when I first wrote it.  
> Crossposted from fanfiction.net

William Lennox woke with a start, finding himself strapped securely to an examination table. He blinked a few times to focus his blurry vision; what had happened?

* * *

_**Flashback** _

* * *

_Lennox watched the two much larger metallic brings argue, barely able to understand them through the pounding in his head and the whirr of unidentified machinery around him._

_"And why exactly are we doing this?" the larger mech -Megatron- rumbled._

_"Three reasons, sir," the second bot -Starscream, if he remembered correctly- hurried to respond. "One: I am quite curious to see if it is even possible; two: he has valuable knowledge about the Autobots; and three: the only methods we have of obtaining said information would kill him. It must be done this way."_

* * *

What had the Decepticons done to him? He warily scanned the room, and nearly stopped breathing at the sight of his own body lying on a nearby table, lifeless. Alarmed, he looked down at himself. Silver and blue. Metallic. Cybertronian. "Impossible..."

The door slid open, revealing a smirking Starscream. "Ah, Colonel Lennox, you're awake." There was a slightly malicious lilt in his voice that chilled Lennox to his core. Seeing the partially shocked, partially disconcerted expression he had been unable to repress, the seeker added, "don't worry, you'll get used to it soon. If you live that long."

Lennox had been dreading what the Decepticons planned to do to him, but the almost giddy excitement radiating off Starscream downright terrified him.

* * *

Lennox bit back a scream of agony. No matter how the Decepticons tortured him he refused to give them any satisfaction.

"Just tell us what we want to know, insect," Starscream snarled in his face, "and your death won't be as painful."

"Never," Lennox hissed.

Starscream shoved a claw into Lennox's throat, earning a choked cry of distress from the soldier. "If you refuse to talk then I shall simply rip your voice box out so you can't."

"Go... Ahead... Then."

Starscream frowned. "Well, it just won't do if you don't care..." He hooked his claw around the voice box, slowly pulling it, a sadistic glint in his optics. He stopped when most of the wires were disconnected, leaving Lennox hissing static.

"You'll never get anything out of me," Lennox growled, voice strangled and distant. He coughed up Energon, and tried to spit it into Starscream's face.

The Decepticon didn't flinch.

* * *

Lennox woke to a loud crash, unsure of when he had fallen unconscious. He didn't see any Decepticons in the room, but shuddered weakly as an involuntary response to the sight of his body still lying limply on the table.

The door exploded in, and Ironhide emerged from the resulting cloud of smoke and debris. Lennox had never been happier to see the trigger-happy blue Autobot, but the weapons specialist immediately headed to the soldier's abandoned human body, shaking it lightly. "Lennox? Lennox, wake up." He cupped the small body carefully into his hands and slowly raised it to his optic level. "Will?! Say somethin'!"

Lennox tried to call out to his partner, but his damaged voice box refused to make any noise.

"Will!" Lennox was surprised to see a single tear roll down Ironhide's faceplate, a crack in his façade. "Will, wake up!"

Lennox's intakes hitched at the unexpected sight, and he abruptly started coughing.

Ironhide's head snapped up and he locked optics with Lennox, cannons rotating in warning. "Who're ya?" He stalked cautiously forwards , cannons powering up. "Ah'm warning' ya, if Ah don't get an answer Ah'll blast yer aft straight back ta Cybertron!" He aimed a cannon at Lennox's head to make his point even clearer.

"It's me," Lennox finally managed to whisper, almost inaudiblely. "You have to believe me, Ironhide."

Ironhide's optics widened, having recognized the voice, even as damaged as it was. "Will?" His cannons powered down, no longer pointed threatening at the soldier's head. "Wha' the scrap happened t'ya? Yer Cybertronian... Pit, yer a seeker!" One hand curled into a fist, the other still protective clutching Lennox's original body. "Those slagging glitches! Ah'll send 'em all ta the Allspark!"

Lennox's intakes hitched again.

"Lets get ya outta here." Ironhide blasted the restraints keeping Lennox on the table. He wrapped an arm around his partner, supporting the injured mech and guiding him slowly toward the door.

"Why did you think I looked like a threat, 'Hide?" Lennox asked after a moment.

Ironhide hesitated, but stopped in front of a reflective section of the wall. "Look fer yerself."

Lennox finally saw what he looked like, the pair of wings flared behind his back, the black facemask hiding his mouth, the scarlet optic band. "What?" He slowly raised a hand to his face, blinking at the claws he found there. "No..." He looked like a Decepticon.

"Lets go, Will," Ironhide whispered in Lennox's audio receptor. "C'mon." He gently pulled the shocked soldier toward the door again.

Lennox slowly nodded, and pulled his optics away from his reflection; now was not the time to dwell on what he had been turned into. He stumbled forward next to Ironhide, biting his lip under the facemask against the pain of his injuries


	2. Chapter 2

The Autobots were gathered in the medbay watching Ratchet examine Lennox, who was trying to ignore the fact that all optics were on him and instead focus on not hyperventilating. He wasn't sure how well it was working.

"Perhaps we should not tell Sam and the others about your present... Condition." Optimus motioned in Lennox's general direction.

"If we gave you a Cybertronian name and said you were a neutral," Ratchet suggested, "we can just say you left the planet when we get you back in your original body."

"The question is: wha' d'we call ya?" Ironhide noted.

"Iron...will?" Bumblebee's radio chirped.

* * *

"Ironwill," Lennox whispered to himself, trying to get used to the new name.

"Ratch'll fix ya 'fore yer even missed," Ironhide reassured.

"What if he can't?"

"Ah'm certain 'e can."

"...I just don't want to be stuck like this, 'Hide."

Ironhide decided to completely break his façade and pulled Lennox into a hug. "Look 'ere, Will. Ratch'll fix ya soon An' we won' ever 'ave take think 'bout this again."

* * *

"Ironwill? " Sam stared up at Lennox, slightly disconcerted. "You're a neutral?"

Lennox nodded, knowing if he gave the teen a verbal response he would recognize his voice.

"Then why do you look like a Decepticon?"

Lennox blinked in surprise.

"Sam! " Optimus chided. "He is our guest, please treat him as such."

Sam persisted. "How do we know he can be trusted?"

"We do." Ironhide leaned down to Sam's level, cannons powering up subconsciously.

"Awkward," Bumblebee's radio played.

* * *

"That didn't go as well as I had hoped," Lennox sighed, leaning back against the wall and closing his optics.

Ironhide hesitated. "Ah prob'ly woulda done the same thing of Ah didn' know 'o ya actually are."

Lennox have a soft hum of agreement. "I just didn't expect his reaction to be so... drastic... "

A loud crash echoed from the hall.

Ironhide charged out, cannons powering up in preparation. He glanced down when he heard an indignant yell that was a little too familiar. "...Slag."

* * *

"First no one tells me what happened to Will and try to cover it up, then you," Sam gestured wildly in Ironhide's direction, "come roaring out of your room and almost step on me?! What am I supposed to make of this?!"

"Wha' were ya doin' in mah hall anyway?" Ironhide rumbled.

"We thought that it would be easier to fix him if fewer people knew," Optimus admitted.

"But how did this even happen?" Sam threw his hands up in the air. "And why does he look like Decepticon?!"

"I've been wondering the same thing myself," Lennox noted.

* * *

Ratchet was intrigued by how the Decepticons had managed to transfer Lennox's consciousness into a body that -if his scans were even remotely accurate- was physically fully Cybertronian. But he didn't allow his curiosity to hinder his work to get the soldier back in his own body.

Not knowing how the Decepticons had put him in this one was making that task extremely difficult.

So it was that he was standing behind Lennox trying to figure out if this Cybertronian form was really as functional as his scans made it out to be, and thus how hard it would be to detach him from it.

Ratchet carefully placed a hand on one of Lennox's wings, knowing that a seeker's wings were highly sensitive and had to to be handled with caution or risk severely injuring the owner, or worse. He did not want to take even the smallest chance of hurting the soldier, even in the slight possibility that the wings were only for show and he couldn't actually feel them.

Lennox's wings twitched at the contact, and he tensed subconsciously despite knowing who was touching him and why. It just felt so strange, being so sensitive in a part that shouldn't even be there, and then having someone so close to it.

Ratchet have a soft hum when Lennox tensed, knowing that this was the instinctual reaction of all seekers to foreign contact with their wings. That meant that he had at least some of the basic coding of a seeker.

* * *

Lennox stated up at the ceiling of the dark room, thinking. It had been a long, confusing day, and he still wasn't sure what to think of it.

He shot out of the berth when he heard a loud explosion resounding from the far end of the base.

The Decepticons were there.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> being the first official introduction of my OC, Acefire. Buckle up, folks, things are starting to heat up!

Lennox rushed toward the epicenter of the explosion, though he was uncertain of what he could do to help. He could hear the sounds of a battle, and bots yelling. When he was close enough to understand what they were saying, he almost wished that he had stayed in his room.

"We're here for our seeker," Starscream screeched. "Hand him over and we won't give you any trouble... Today."

"'E's our seeker!" Ironhide retorted, and Lennox could hear his cannons rotating even through the closed door. "Ya can't 'ave 'im!"

"Actually, I'm my own seeker," Lennox added, walking in and interrupting the argument.

"Stay back, Will!" Ironhide ordered, but was interrupted by a flamethrower being shoved in his face and activating. "Wha' the scrap are ya doin'?!"

"It's not me!" Lennox's optics widened in shock. "I'm not in control!"

"Well, you didn't really think that we'd waste the resources to stick a human in a Cybertronian body just for a little information, did you?" Starscream snickered. "Autobots, say hello to Acefire, Decepticon weapons specialist." He smirked. "Now, my partner and I will be returning to our base."

"No!" Lennox yelled, partially at Starscream, partially at the unresponsive weapon.

"Hold on, Will." Ironhide pushed the flamethrower away.

"I can feel him in my processor," Lennox whimpered. "He's taking over..."

"It is his body," Starscream deadpanned.

"'Hide, I'm sorry, I can't..."

"Yeah, ya can Will." Ironhide locked optics with the soldier. "Look't me, ya can! Fight it, Will!"

"I'm trying." Lennox blinked, and his optics seemed to glow redder when he opened them again.

"Unfortunately it's not enough," a new voice sneered.

"No..." Ironhide's optics narrowed.

"Acefire, at Starscream's service, if y'didn' guess tha' already."

Optimus rushed in just in time to see Ironhide duck under Acefire's fist. "What...?"

"Not Will!" Ironhide dodged a second blow from the Decepticon and tried to pin him down without hurting him. "Ah know yer in there, Lennox, answer me!"

Acefire gave a low chuckle. "Lennox isn't home right now, care to leave a messege?" He kicked Ironhide off and aimed his flamethrower in his face. "It'll be the last you ever make."

"No, Will, yer stronger than this. Fight 'im!" Ironhide didn't flinch when the flamethrower in his face powered on, glowing hotter with each passing second.

"He can't hear ya," Acefire's hissed, optics glinting with sadistic pleasure.

"No!" Optimus pulled Acefire away from Ironhide. "Listen to me! You are Colonel William Lennox, human liaison to the Autobots, and our friend. You are stronger than any Decepticon. Fight him!"

"No, no no no! He's just a pathetic organic!" Acefire's howled, frame tense in Optimus' grip. "How is he fighting me?!" He shuddered, writhing to escape the Prime's hold. "No!"

His expression morphed from one of pure hatred to utter confusion, and he went limp in Optimus' arms, flamethrower retracting. "What?" Lennox made optic contact with Ironhide. "What happened?"

"No!" Starscream snarled, dashing back the way he came.

"...No... No, I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"

"No, Will, ya didn' hurt us." Ironhide watched Lennox's panicked, heaving intakes with concern etched onto his faceplate. "But 'e mighta hurt ya."

"I-I'm fine," Lennox panted. "Jus-just scared..." he admitted. "I d-didn't hurt anyone?"

"No." Ironhide wrapped an arm around the soldier to help him to the med bay. "Bu' Ratchet will prob'ly wanna look't ya."

* * *

Lennox stared blankly at the wall, unable to recharge like Ratchet had told him to. A hissing laugh echoed from everywhere and nowhere at once, and he blinked in surprise.

"Your friend was lucky the Prime was there." A voice came up from inside his mind, from the furthest recesses of his consciousness where his deepest fears and darkest secrets were kept safely hidden, hopefully never to see daylight.

"Who are you?" Lennox's whisper was almost inuadible.

The voice gave another small snicker. "Acefire."

Lennox let out a low growl. "Get out of my head," the words were not spoken aloud; they did not have to be.

"Technically it's my head," Acefire responded. "You're the intruder here."

"Then why did Starscream put my mind in your body?" Lennox asked. "He's supposed to be your friend, right?"

Acefire's huffed slightly. "My partner; get your terms straight."

"He's not your friend, then?"

"Decepticons don't have friends."

"Not even seeker trines?"

There was a short pause before Acefire demanded, "how do you know about those?"

Now it was Lennox's turn to hesitate as he tried to remember where he had heard the term. "I'm not sure."

Acefire huffed violently, cursing in Cybertronian. "You must be accessing my databanks."

"You must have had some friends," Lennox insisted. "What of Zenith?"

"How do you know that name?"

"You were thinking about her."

Acefire hissed in denial.

"And Valkyrie?"

"Queit!" Acefire shouted. "Do not mention my trine, fleshling."

"They were your sisters, you must have been friends with them."

Acefire let out an exasperated sigh. "Nevermind them, they're gone now anyway."

"Gone?" Lennox asked. "As in stationed elsewhere?"

"As in offline, idiot."

"...I'm sorry."

"Soft, ain'tcha?" Acefire snickered. "You didn't even know them, ya can't be sorry fer their status."

"Well, I am connected to your databanks."

"Stay Outta them. Ain't yer business what I've been through." Acefire huffed. "Waste o' time, talkin' t'ya. Maybe I'll be back when y'ain't gonna be so _sentimental_."

Lennox blinked again, vaguely surprised at the presence in the back of his processor simply disappearing with no further warning. "Goodbye?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> slight reference to TF:A Blitzwing this chapter

Lennox had finally managed to fall into a fitful recharge when Ironhide walked in. He blinked sleepily at the weapons specialist, knowing that the blue mech would say why he was there when he was ready.

"Ah couldn' recharge after everythin' tha' happened," Ironhide stated simply. "Did Ah wake ya?"

Lennox sat up. "Yeah, but it's fine."

"Ah can leave if ya wan'."

"No, no, it's ok."

"'E didn' do anythin' bad, Ah promise," Ironhide said, knowing the subject was on Lennox's processor as well.

"...He said you were lucky that Optimus was there."

Ironhide's head snapped up. "'E did? When did 'e talk t'ya?" Seeing the slightly surprised look on Lennox's faceplate, he added, "Ya didn' mean ta say tha' out loud, did ya?"

Lennox slowly shook his head. "He showed up again before I fell into recharge."

"Wha' did 'e say t'ya?"

"He said that..." Lennox paised, and his optics seemed to lose focus.

Ironhide leaned forward. "What, Will?"

Lennox locked optics with the weapons specialist. "He's Back."

"Wha'?!" Ironhide grabbed Lennox lightly by the shoulders.

"Easy, 'Hide." Lennox gently pushed his hands away. "He says he just wants to talk."

Ironhide relaxed slightly but didn't let down his guard. "Wha' else does 'e 'ave ta say?"

After a brief pause, Lennox said, "he never answered my question earlier; he's going to now." Another pause. "He says that Starscream only put my mind in his body because it was the only way to wake him from stasis."

Ironhide crossed his arms, still wary that Acefire might take control and attack him.

"The torture," Lennox shuddered, "was likely -in part- to have been a failed attempt to draw him out."

Ironhide hummed in agreement. "Makes sense."

Lennox tilted his head slightly. "He's gone."

"'E is?"

"That must have been all he had to say..."

* * *

Ratchet frowned thoughtfully at Lennox. "I've never seen two completely different minds occupying the same body before..." He paused. "Though MPD is not unprecedented..."

"Like Blitzwing," Ironhide noted.

"Transfering one consciousness into a body that is already occupied -albeit in a forced stasis- is unheard of."

"But you will be able to fix me, right?" Lennox asked.

"I am working on it," Ratchet responded. "I'm sure that I can fix you, but it may take a while."

Lennox slowly nodded in understanding. He could feel Acefire hovering at the edge of his mind.

'Think about it; if you leave, I go back into stasis.' Acefire was trying to appeal to his conscience, but he wasn't going to let him. 'Is that what you really want?'

'Yes,' Lennox snapped back, annoyed at the Decepticon for making him lose track of Ratchet and Ironhide's conversation.

'We'll see.' Acefire snickered. 'I'll be back later.' He disappeared once again.

Lennox sighed inwardly and tried to focus on the two Autobots again.

* * *

Lennox dropped face first into his berth after another long day of tests and explanations. He was vaguely surprised when Acefire remained true to his word.

The Decepticon snickered softly.

Lennox merely groaned in response.

"The Autobots exhaust you?" Acefire's smirk could be heard in his voice. "How often does this happen?"

Lennox growled slightly at the thinly veiled insult.

"Too tired to talk?"

"Go away, Acefire," Lennox mumbled.

"Mech, you really are tired."

"Can't you wait?" Lennox was already half asleep.

Acefire snarled quietly. "Wake up!" he yelled.

Lennox jumped, wings jerking back in surprise.

"That's better," Acefire drawled. "Now, listen to me; don't fall asleep when I'm talking to you!"

"Its not exactly something I can control," Lennox moaned, too tired to really argue.

Acefire paused for a moment to contemplate this. "... Ok, you have me there. But do try to listen, got it?"

"Got it," Lennox said, already dozing again.

"I don't think any of you realize this, but removing your mind from my body will send me right back into stasis. And you have need to know how much I hate stasis..."

* * *

Ironhide glanced up when Lennox stumbled into the rec. room, yawning -not that anyone could tell with his facemask. "Ya Look like ya didn' get much recharge."

"Acefire insisted on giving me an hour-long lecture on why he hates stasis." Lennox yawned again. "He says that if I leave he'll go back into stasis."

"One less 'Con ta worry 'bout."

"My sentiments exactly."

'Oh, come on!' Acefire yelled. 'I'm not that bad a roommate, am I?'

'Yes, you are,' Lennox responded. 'Go away.'

'It's my body...' Acefire mumbled before disappearing.

* * *

Optimus leaned back in his chair, contemplating the new information.

"This presents a second challenge," Ratchet mused. "How to prevent Acefire from returning to stasis after we get you back into your original body..."

"Why bother?" Ironhide growled. " 'E'll jus' repay us by attackin'!"

"Ironhide, please," Optimus warned. "All sentient beings deserve a second chance."

Ironhide frowned incredulously, but remained silent.

"It would help to know what sent him into stasis to begin with," Ratchet noted in an attempt to get the conversation back on track.

"I can ask him," Lennox said. "I'm just not sure if he'll tell..."

"Can't ya jus' look through 'is data banks an' figure it out tha' way?" Ironhide asked.

"Proffesional courtesy. I can, but it's rude not to ask permission first, and he's already requested that I stay away from his memories."

"Bu' 'e's a Decepticon; why does it matter wha' 'e wants or if we some'ow offend 'im?"

"My main reason is because I have to share a body with him," Lennox deadpanned.

Ironhide nodded slowly, unable to argue with the soldier's logic.


	5. Chapter 5

"I'll do anything you want, just don' let me go back into stasis!" Acefire begged.

"That's one of the things we're trying to solve," Lennox said. "And why we need to know how you got stuck in stasis in the first place."

Acefire snarled.

"We'll be able to fix this faster if you tell me," Lennox sighed.

Acefire hesitated. "Fine," he growled. "Starscream made a superweapon that was supposed to take out all o' th' Autobots an' I was test firin' it, bu' it backfired an' sent me into stasis instead."

Lennox didn't know how to respond.

Acefire snickered. "An' before you come up wi' some sentimental slag ta say, I'm leavin'."

* * *

"I believe I have figured out what the Decepticons used to transfer your mind into Acefire's body!" Ratchet announced. "A Cortical Psychic Patch, modified to be compatible with a human." He paused, pulling up the corresponding file on his datapad. "I think I can reverse it, but, unfortunately, we do not possess the materials required to do so."

"Bu' th' 'Cons do," Ironhide said. "Ah vote we steal it from 'em."

"How is your current relationship with Acefire?" Optimus asked.

"Not good," Lennox responded.

"Do Try to fix that; we need his cooperation."

"I'll do my best, sir."

* * *

"You really think that I'll fight my own faction for you?" Acefire scoffed.

"Not just for me; for both of us," Lennox responded.

"And what exactly would be in it for me?"

"Your body back to yourself. And maybe even a new friend."

Acefire let out a single, humorless laugh. "Who do you expect to make friends with me over this?"

"I will. On the condition that you work with me and don't betray us. If you do, you'll be stuck with me and I'll never forgive you. I'm sure you don't want that, right?"

"I get the impression that you're the type to follow through on your threats and actually be able to hold a grudge that long, so, no, not really."

"We'll have to practice our teamwork, though. I don't know how to operate your weapons systems and we aren't going to let you have free reign until you prove yourself trustworthy."

"Predictable."

* * *

Lennox and Ironhide walked into the training room. "Ah can't believe 'e actually agreed," Ironhide said.

"I don't think he can either," Lennox laughed, moving into position.

"Alrigh'. This's Th' easiest level," Ironhide stated. "If ya get hit, it'll sting bu' i' won' 'ave any effect after th' level's over." Without any further warning he activated the simulation.

Lennox ducked under the first round of blasterfire. 'Get on it, Acefire!'

Acefire activated his flamethrower. 'Aim fer that'ne!'

'Which one?'

'That one!'

'I don't know which one you mean!'

While they were arguing, they were hit directly in the chest, knocking them backwards.

"Level failed," the computer stated.

Lennox pushed himself back to his feet. "You weren't kidding about the stinging..." He shook himself off, wings rattling behind him.

Ironhide was laughing so hard he had to lean on the wall behind him to keep from falling over. "This'll take a while!"

"Just run it again, 'Hide."

* * *

Several hours later, Optimus came in. "How is the training progressing?"

Ironhide motioned toward Lennox. "They almost 'ave th' easiest level mastered." He nearly broke out laughing again when the computer announced their failure.

Lennox walked over to Optimus and Ironhide, panting slightly. "Sir."

"Colonel Lennox," Optimus greeted. "How is working with Acefire?"

"Would be better if he specified where he wanted me to aim."

'I am specifying!' Acefire retorted.

'"There" is not specific.'

'Yes, it is!'

'Not To me!'

"Did he... " Optimus paused to find the correct Earth term. "Zone out?"

"Naw," Ironhide responded. "'e's jus' talkin' ta Acefire."

'You keep forgetting that we don't think the same way,' Lennox said. 'You have to act like I don't know where your mind is. I need to know which "there" you mean.'

''Kay, then to your left! Now!'

'We aren't in the simulation now, Acefire.'

'Jus' do it!'

Lennox twisted to the left, raising his arm as Acefire activated the flamethrower.

Starscream blasted through the wall, only to receive a facefull of fire. He shrieked, stumbling backwards.

'How did you know he was there?' Lennox asked.

'Seeker's wings have extremely sensitive scanners,' Acefire responded. 'But don't just stand there!'

Starscream lunged forward, snarling.

Lennox easily sidestepped, optics narrowing in concentration.

'This ain't a sim' anymore!' Acefire yipped. 'We can't afford take mess this up!'

'We aren't ready for this yet!' Lennox dodged Starscream's blaster fire. "Why is no one helping?!"

"Ya got this, Will!" Ironhide shouted.

Optimus stepped forward to help, but Ironhide held out an arm to stop him.

"Let 'im handle it. If 'e can't, we'll bail 'im out."

"Now is not the time, 'Hide!" Lennox yelled, exhasperated. He ducked under Starscream's fist, then kicked his face.

'Or maybe a real test is just what we need,' Acefire mused. 'I'm havin' fun at any rate.'

'I'm glad one of us is.'

'We jus' need ta get 'im on the ground an' step on the armour between his wings.'

'I assume seeker's wings are also very sensitive to pain,' Lennox said, leveling the flamethrower at one of Starscream's wings. 'Fire!'

'Good one,' Acefire snickered, complying.

Starscream screeched, collapsing in pain. He clutched his injured wing with one hand, and tried to push himself back to his feet.

Lennox stepped on his back, forcing him back down. "Give up, Decepticon."

Acefire laughed. 'Jus' keep yer foot there an' 'e won' be able to move.'

"Ah knew ya could do it, Will!" Ironhide cheered.


	6. Chapter 6

"Take charge, Acefire!" Starscream shrieked.

'That reaction would be priceless,' Acefire snickered.

'Shall we?' Lennox suggested.

'Oh, 'e's gonna be furious!'

Lennox blinked,and his optics glowed a brighter red after, the sign that Acefire was in control.

Optimus gasped, and Ironhide's cannons rotated subconsciously.

Acefire leaned down next to Starscream's audial. "Wha' would ya say if I told ya I've had a better offer?"

Starscream spluttered. "You what?!"

"Yer plan failed, partner. Ya chose th' wrong human ta wake me up. Guess ya could say I've been bribed." Acefire pressed his flamethrower to Starscream's forehead. "Any last words?"

Starscream whimpered slightly.

The flamethrower powered on. "Than goodbye, Starscream, and good riddance!"

'Acefire, stop!' Lennox ordered.

'Why? I thought "one less 'Con" was a good thing?'

'I shouldn't have said that,' Lennox admitted. 'But you can't do this, it's against Autobot code.'

'Do you really think I care?' Acefire laughed. 'Find a better reason. Clock's ticking.'

'We could use him?'

'How?'

'Use him to get into the Decepticon base and then steal the supplies we need and run.'

'Bu' he would get away!'

'We can catch him again another day, this would be the easiest way to get in and out. Don't you want your body back?'

'...Fine. Yer right.' Acefire deactivated the flamethrower. "I won't offline you on one condition, 'Scream..."

* * *

Starscream flinched when Acefire waved his gun and in front of his face to remind him of their deal. "Once I leave the lab yer free," Acefire growled. "But not a second before. Got it?"

Starscream nodded.

"Good." Acefire's optics glinted in anticipation. 'This'll be fun.'

'For you, maybe,' Lennox said.

'You don't even have ta do anything!'

'That's what scares me!'

'Oh, don't worry. I'll stick to the plan.' Acefire shoved Starscream forward. "Get moving. My regent wants this done ASAP."

"Regent? Is that really what you're calling him?" Starscream scoffed.

"Shut up before I go off plan and shoot you." Acefire gave Starscream another hard shove before he actually started to move.

* * *

'Don't be so nervous, I know what I'm doing,' Acefire smirked.

'Focus!' Lennox hissed.

'I am focusing. I can talk and scan at the same time.'

'Well, I'm sorry if I'm a little anxious but we are in the middle of enemy territory!'

'Aw, they know me. Getting out'll be th' only thing that'll pose even the smallest problem.'

'If you're trying to make me feel better about this it isn't working.'

'Jus' sit back an' enjoy the ride. I've got this.'

* * *

'That's everything Ratchet said he needs,' Lennox said.

'Good. I never liked the lab.' Acefire whirled around and knocked out Starscream with a single blow to the head. He bent down next to the fallen officer.

'What are you doing?'

'Jus' givin' him something ta remember us by.' Acefire activated his flamethrower and burned an 'A' on one of Starscream's wings, and an 'L' on the other. Then he turned and left the room. 'And he's still the only one 'o knows I'm a traitor. We prob'ly won' even 'ave ta worry 'bout leavin'.'

They had barely gone a hundred yards before Megatron stepped in front of them, dragging an unconscious Ironhide. "Acefire! I assume you had something to do with this?" He threw Ironhide into Acefire, sending them both sliding back down the hall.

'This isn't good,' Lennox groaned. 'I thought you said we wouldn't have any trouble?'

'Slag,' Acefire hissed. "Lord Megatron, why would I have anything to do with an Autobot?"

"You certainly spent enough time with them," Megatron sneered. "And that pathetic excuse for a sentient creature doesn't count for an reason."

Acefire's optics narrowed.

'Don't do anything reckless,' Lennox said, 'we can still get out of this.'

'I know. I ain't an idiot.' Acefire stood. "Sir, I can assure you that I am only here with the best intentions."

Ironhide groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Acefire? What're ya doin'?!"

Megatron raised an optic ridge. "'Only the best of intentions', Acefire?"

"Well, it was a half truth, anyway." Acefire ducked as Megatron fired his fusion cannon at him. 'I'm guessing Ironhide's gonna be in trouble when we get out?'

'You don't know the half of it,' Lennox growled.

"Well, it's been nice chattin' with ya, but we gotta fly!" Acefire blasted Megatron face with his flamethrower, and transformed, hovering in front of Ironhide. "Get on!"

Ironhide jumped on top of the F-15 , latching onto his wings.

Acefire shot down the corridor, wing clipping the top of Megatron's head.

"Acefire!" Megatron roared. "You traitor!"

* * *

"I don't know how much further I can carry you, Ironhide!" Acefire groaned. "We're losin' altitude quick an' there's nowhere ta land! "

"Hang in there, 'Con," Ironhide growled. "Ah can see th' base from here!"

"I'm tryin'! This ain't as easy as it looks!"

"Ah know. Why d'ya think mos' Autobots 'ave ground-based alt-forms? "

"What? Ya ain't smart enough ta fly?" Acefire snickered.

"That's not wh' Ah mean an' ya know it. It's easier ta fight when ya don't 'ave ta worry 'bout stayin' airborne. "

'Stop arguing!' Lennox interrupted. 'It's part of the deal, remember?'

'I remember; it jus' distracts me from now much altitude were losin'!'

"Ah don' know if ya noticed, bu' we're practically in th' water!" Ironhide yelled.

'Or it did...' Acefire lowered his landing gear. "It's gonna be a rough landing!"

Ironhide's grip on Acefire's wings tightened to an almost painful point, as they braced for impact. Water and sand exploded around them when they hit the beach, sending Ironhide tumbling away.

Acefire slid to a stop, transforming and shaking the sand out of his joints. He promptly started laughing.

Ironhide whooped. "Now tha's wha' Ah call a landin'!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some foreshadowing to events in DOTM (which, if I haven't established already, is in the future of this fic) in this chapter, sorry guys...
> 
> (Also, it's the shortest Chapter this fic.)

Lennox stretched contentedly; it was good to be back in his own body. He glanced over to Acefire. "You will be able to fix him, right?"

"I believe so," Ratchet responded gruffly, running a final test in the code he had been working on.

"An' if i' don' work, wha' does it matter?" Ironhide said. "'E'll never know."

"I promised him we'd get him out of stasis lock, 'Hide," Lennox said. "I don't like breaking promises."

"Ah understand tha', Will, bu' 'e's a Decepticon! Why are we making promises ta a mech we can't even be sure we can trust?"

"I just spent the better part of a week in his head. I wouldn't have said this at first, but, yeah, we can trust him."

"Ah trust yer judgment, Will, bu' Ah don' wanna see ya hurt."

"I Know, 'Hide. I'll be careful." Lennox smirked. "Besides, I'll always have you to protect me."

* * *

Acefire groaned, slowly coming back online. He blinked in confusion when he saw Lennox standing on his facemask, arms crossed.

"Well," Lennox said, "good to see my promise wasn't broken."

"What? No hello?" Acefire laughed. "At least I know what you look like now."

"Good to have your body back to yourself again?"

"Y'know... I didn't really mind."

"Good, because you aren't getting rid of me that easily. Someone has to make sure you don't get into trouble."

"An' who better than you, eh?"

Optimus walked in, nodding a greeting to those present. "Acefire. I see that Ratchet was successful. And Colonel Lennox, it is good to see you in the proper body."

"Prime..." Acefire cleared his throat. "I'd, uh... I'd like to thank you for your hospitality, and request I be granted asylum... For the time being, anyway."

Lennox raised an eyebrow at the unexpected wording.

'Oh, shut up. I can talk eloquently if I want to.'

'We're still connected?!'

'... I guess we really won't be getting rid of each other anytime soon.'

"Of course," Optimus said. "I'll even go as far as to offer you a place in the Autobot ranks."

"S-sir?!" Ironhide coughed. "Ya can't be serious!"

"I am, Ironhide. My decision is final, but it is up to him to decide whether to decline or accept. "

Acefire smirked. "I'd be a fool not to."

"Welcome to the team, then." Optimus held out a hand, and Acefire shook it firmly. "Colonel Lennox will be your... parole officer, with his consent."

"Yes, sir." Lennox grinned.

"I'm never going to be able to escape you, an I?" Acefire deadpanned.

"Nope."

"Bu' wha' 'bout me?" Ironhide interrupted.

"Don't worry, 'Hide, we're still partners." Lennox grinned. "We're just... A trio now."

Acefire snickered. "Guess we'll be seein' a lot more of each other now, eh?"

"...Great, " Ironhide groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am thinking about writing a sequel to this set after DOTM sometime but that probably won't be finished for a while; in the meantime I hope you enjoyed the story! This is one of my personal favorites of the things I've written.


End file.
